Reddit

[theinevitable]

Do you guys use Reddit? It seems like a thing you would all like. The basic concept is that you can subscribe or unsubscribe to various topics, and then you vote submissions up or down.

I took the liberty of finding a few sub-reddits certain of you might find interesting:

http://www.reddit.com/r/reloading
http://www.reddit.com/r/hunting/
http://www.reddit.com/r/guns

http://www.reddit.com/r/Drugs
http://www.reddit.com/r/trees
http://www.reddit.com/r/woahdude

http://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking
http://www.reddit.com/r/triangle
http://www.reddit.com/r/food
http://www.reddit.com/r/autism
http://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal (this one is great)
http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming
http://www.reddit.com/r/geek
http://www.reddit.com/r/gonewild (please?)

http://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames

http://www.reddit.com/r/lostgeneration (really depressing. Actually, no one should read this.)

http://www.reddit.com/r/GetMotivated (this one is kind of awesome for everyone)

The trick is to find these weirdo sub-reddits, and unsubscribe from the ones that make you want to gouge your eyes out (atheism, politics, etc). Lately I am really into ones that are for specific memes (f7u12, adviceanimals). There are lots of cool music ones that no one ever posts on.

Sorry if you are not one of the people I stereotyped and picked subreddits for. Take solace in the fact that that means I do not stereotype you, I guess.

[Asherdan]

Do you guys use Reddit?

http://www.reddit.com/r/reloading

I would, but after taking a look at that one subtop and finding three different things to scream at (357 in a 38 case? BOOM motherfucker) I don't know if I can spare the time nor the blood pressure meds.

Seriously though, no, but thanks for pointing it out because it may be something I'll find neat-o.

[Nabubrush]

Thanks for not stereotyping me!

/Sobs

Blocked at work, anyway.

[wombat]

Some of those people are mean to my pug!
http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/fpz0y/dont_worry_theyre_faux/

[Nabubrush]

Some of those people are mean to my pug!
http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/fpz0y/dont_worry_theyre_faux/

Fuck 'em, then - I got no time for that shit.

[Arachno-capitalist]

The lost generation one needs more publicity. In a country where people are given months of unemployment support, the newly graduated are told to go fuck themselves.

[theinevitable]

sometimes I feel bad about how I am working at a grocery store, and then I think about how many of my friends do not have jobs/are not even looking for jobs.

[Asherdan]

You wanna feel better? I am wholly behind my 17 YO son working at a grocery store.

You are working and that has a value in and of itself. I would shovel shit with my eyelids before I'd sit on my ass, so I can dig under-employment from a person. At least you ain't pulling some "it's beneath me" jive ass bull.

Work now. Look for better. Be fuck*ng proud!

[jay-ell]

The current generation of college-and-recently-graduated people is two-thirds of the target market for my new blog project. (The other third are Gen Xers looking for a career change.) I did an interview on Wednesday that made me think of Dan at one point. He said,

Don't go work at a grocer, don't work at the YMCA, find out what kind of work you're interested in and go get an internship. That's how you're gonna figure out if you're really gonna like it. Even if you're not getting paid, you're there to figure out, "Is this what I wanna do for the rest of my life." The kids at [college] who did the best were the ones who knew what they wanted to do and had done the research, and they hit the ground running.

I thought, that's good advice if you can get an internship, or if you've got it narrowed down to a handful of fields, but if you've got bills to pay, that's not going to work. But then, he was specifically addressing younger folks, high school age or just out of school. The interview subject is also named Dan(ny). He was talking about how when he was in high school and college, he lifeguarded for, like, five summers in a row because it was fun. So that's really not Inev's situation at all.

Still thought it was interesting to think about, though, coming from a 35 year old man, how it would sound to someone just out of college who is lucky to be working anywhere at all.

[Asherdan]

I agree with Danny's point, but it's only good for a specific window and circumstances. If you're like most of the graduating world and have to go through the under-employment stage I got a secret* for you: get a job, any job that doesn't maim you, and use your free hours to keep looking. Be a job looking machine, a job looking shark.

When you get asked in an interview why you want to leave your current company? "There's no potential for growth, the company is stagnant."
When they ask you why you're working there anyways? "I am still building skills there, and I would rather work than not."
When they ask why you're interested in their company position? "The position is in the direction of my interest and education. I also think there is room for career growth here."

One more thing...most every company that you tell about how a position looks great to you also thinks they are offering something dressed in gold plate, even if it is really yak molesting, so that answer confirms their bias. Confirming bias when you want something from someone is not a bad plan.

*Not a real secret!

[Nabubrush]

sometimes I feel bad about how I am working at a grocery store, and then I think about how many of my friends do not have jobs/are not even looking for jobs.

Which part do you feel bad about? You having a job? Or them not having jobs?

[theinevitable]

mostly I feel bad about the part where my parents paid 200k for my college degree which I am not using.

but yeah, I am definitely pursuing internship/job/anything right now. Just not very hard, yet? I have a meeting with a guy who does what I want to do in a week, and the idea is to pick his brain about:
1. How did you get where you are? grad school/job experience/etc.
2. What are some other agencies in STL/other cities which do similar things?
3. Do you know of anyplace that might be looking for an intern, assistant, etc?

[Nabubrush]

Good plan. I wish I had taken more time off, or taken more time to get a plan together, instead of diving right in to a series of shit jobs just so I could buy dope.

[Arachno-capitalist]

Yeah I don't feel like Ash and JL grasp the full impact the recession has had on internship positions. "Get an internship in the job you want" is easier said than done. Keep in mind that the recent grads are competing for internships against people with actual experience who are out of the job. The employment market has yet to flush out the unemployed let alone the grad with no experience.   It used to be the case that a young go-getter could take an interview and explain their situation and desire. Today employers don't give a fuck and will gladly take the unemployed guy with a decade of experience over the recent grad.

[wombat]

mostly I feel bad about the part where my parents paid 200k for my college degree which I am not using.

OK, I feel I have to stand up here for the value of a liberal arts education.

You didn't go to a trade school. Your degree is not something you will necessarily "use" in an obvious way. It has made you a more educated person and there is a value to that that will affect everything you do for the rest of your life, whether what you end up doing for money has to do with your college major or not. It has given you stuff in your head that no one can ever take away from you.

I know that maybe this sounds even more crazy in the current economy but I don't think that anyone can argue there is LESS need to be educated, thoughful, have a sense of perspective, etc, in a bad economy.